Many of the photos that you have or will be taking will be of your family. And a big part of any family is the children and pets. These two subjects have a lot in common, and photographing them requires lots of P A T I E N C E.
To be a great child photographer, you have to love children. You also need to be part psychologist and clown. To get great shots of babies and young children, you need to know something about child development. The following is a brief synopsis of the developmental stages of babies, from birth up to eighteen months, as it pertains to photographing them.
From birth up to about ten weeks, babies can’t do much other than just lie there. That’s fine, just put him on his back on a blanket, and shoot from directly above him. Be sure to focus sharply on the eyes. And please make use of your camera strap, so the sky doesn’t fall on him.
From four to six months old, she can hold her head up for a few moments, though she likes to be held or propped up. At this age, you can use things such as rattles and other toys to get the baby to focus on. By tickling the baby on the lips, you can get a smile. When the baby follows a toy with her eyes, move it out of camera range and take the picture. Act fast, since she tires easily at this age.
From six to nine months, he is alert and can sit up for short periods of time. He is also starting to locate his feet and hands. By gently massaging his tummy, while slowly rolling him back and forth, you can get a happy expression from him. But be quick with the camera, as the emotions come and go quickly. You’ll only have about ten minutes per session to work with at this age.
From nine months to a year, she will be able to play patty-cake and peek-a-boo, and will demand constant attention. She loves things that make noise, and will play with more than one toy at a time. Take her shoes off to make her more comfortable, and try to get the child to throw toys back to you. Be ready for that great shot while you play with her.
From one year to eighteen months, he will play with you. He can stand, and likes to move around while holding onto things. By focusing your camera on an object like a chair, you will be ready when he climbs onto it.
Use the boy scout motto when photographing children, be prepared. You don’t know what’s going to happen, but you know it will happen fast, so be ready.